"To tell you the truth, I have had rather a
disturbed breakfast."
"So have we," Dartrey observed. "You mean the Leeds figures, of
course?"
Tallente shook his head.
"I haven't even opened a newspaper."
"Horlock went down himself yesterday to speak for his candidate. Our
man is in by five thousand, seven hundred votes."
"Amazing!" Tallente murmured.
"It is the greatest reversal of figures in political history," Dartrey
declared. "Listen, Tallente. I was quite prepared to go the Session,
as you know, but Horlock's had enough. He is asking for a vote of
confidence on Tuesday. He'll lose by at least sixty votes."
"And then?"
"We can't put it off any longer. We shall have to take office. I shall
be sent for as the nominal leader of the party and I shall pass the
summons on to you. Here is a list of names. Some of them we ought to
see unofficially at once."
Tallente looked down the slip of paper. He came to a dead stop with his
finger upon Miller's name.
"I know," Dartrey said sympathetically, "but, Tallente, you must
remember that men are not made all in the same mould, and Miller is the
link between us and a great many of the most earnest disciples of our
faith.
Pages:
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320